So, you are looking for a new AC. I am a first time AC user and was all the same confused to buy one. With so many overwhelming brands and models, its really difficult to choose. Do your research before going to the showroom, as you’ll be more aware of what features you are looking for and you can get your doubts cleared with the salesmen.
Window AC or Split?
If you are in a rented house and have a provision in the wall or window for AC, then window AC will be better for you. Pros: Low cost, easy installation. Cons: Comparatively noisier, safety risk(burglars may break in).
If you have own house, concerned about neat interiors and noise of the AC, then go for split AC. Pros: Good looks, less noise Cons: Costly, technical installation must
Which tonnage? This is critical
A higher capacity AC will turn on and off too frequently, resulting in improper dehumidification and higher current bills. An AC that is too small will continue to run constantly and may not be able to adequately cool the room, resulting in higher current bills. If you don’t want all the considerations and are in a hurry, then simply follow this table(for Indian climate)
Room size 120 sft – 0.8 Ton – approx. 9000 BTU/hr;
Room size 120-150 sft – 1 Ton – approx. 12000 BTU/hr;
Room size 150-200 sft – 1.5 Ton – approx. 18000 BTU/hr;
Room size 200 sft – 2 Ton – approx. 24000 BTU/hr;
If you want to know the details, read on:
Apart from room size, many other factors like location of room, persons using the room, heat generating equipment in room like bulbs, PC; no. of windows, walls facing the sun, windows facing the sun etc. also should be considered. So, if you are using your ac only in nights or if you are in some temperate country, then 1 ton is enough for 150-200sft.
You’ll need to exercise your brain and learn some terminology. Better take a look at this page https://cromaretail.com/help-me-buy/airconditioner.html. Try the calculators from Blue Star, Daikin & Hitachi websites, as they are for India.
Which brand to buy?
I am sorry to say, that no brand is devoid of complaints. Like water purifiers, ACs are not what you buy, fit and forget. You need periodic maintenance. So, after-sale-service is very important consideration. After an exhaustive search, user reviews, forums, I finally narrowed down to the following ACs in the order of priority considering cooling efficiency, user features, power consumption, durability and ignoring the price. That is 1. O General, 2. Hitachi, 3. Voltas, and 4. Carrier.
Cost: Among these O General and Hitachi are premium range with costs ranging from 30-33k for 1 Ton and 38-43k for 1.5 Ton. Voltas/Carrier and many other brands would cost you around 25k for 1Ton and 29k for 1.5Ton.
Product Vs Service: O General and Hitachi are international brands and are said to be superior machines in terms of product quality, efficiency and durability. However, there are many complaints on their service. Voltas being a Tata product, service is not a big issue with wide spread dealership. Moreover, Voltas has gone international and provides AC needs for Abu Dhabi, UAE in parallel with Hitachi.
Star Rating: I hope you know about the BEE Star ratings. Simply in a layman terms, higher the star rating, the more energy efficient your product will be and lesser will be your power bill. Check bee.gov.in
Where to buy?
Not only for ACs, for any product, first look at their official website. Study the product features and decide which model to buy. Then note down the nearest address and phone numbers of their official dealers from their website. Its always better to purchase from exclusive dealers rather than retailers as the former give good bargain and reliable service.
Prior Installation:
Before the AC technician comes to fit the AC, you should arrange for a 16 Amps power socket. If you don’t have that provision in your bedroom, you may need to spend around Rs. 2000/- for wiring with 720 wire, AC distribution box, 20amps MCB(Anchor-Rs.280). Any local electrician will do this work. The AC technician will not do this. The AC cord is hardly 2mts, so see that the power socket is not too far from AC position. During installation, a wall mountable stabilizer will be hung on the wall. When you are not using the AC for longer time, you’ll need to switch off the MCB, so keep it lower and handy, rather than fitting them up beside the AC. You can hide the AC dis box and stabilizer behind the cot and your Indoor unit will look better.
After installation:
AC technician will make an opening through the depth of the wall. Most of the AC cords are shorter and you may need to extend the wires. So, you may need to use simple concealing strips as I did. If you are too aesthetic, you can go for wall panelling. Make sure you pack the outside of the opening made, using white cement later to prevent any creatures or rain water entering inside.
Let the AC run in full cool mode and full speed for 30min before the technician leaves to see if everything is working fine. They may not help you with all the remote features; you’ll have to consult the manual. Use thermocol(available in stationary shops) to close the ventilators if open.
Use AC judiciously. Be aware that whenever you are using AC, you are contributing for global warming. Never sleep in the way of direct airflow of AC due to health reasons.
So, which brand did I buy atlast?
Check out my other reviews to find out.
